Coin chute



W. A. TRATSCH COINCHUTE Filed De. 1, 1953 Feb. 26, 1935.

l Patented Feb. 26, 1935 I i y y UNITED STATI-:ps PATENT orsi-CE Walter (Trltjglicago, Ill.

Application December 1, 1933, Serial No. 700,421

2 Claims. (Cl. 194-101) This invention relates to coin chutes. 10, and is shown, for the purpose of illustration,

It is an object of this invention to provide an as associated with a. conventional coin operated improved coin chute which is relatively simple device in the form o'f a vending machine 11 of and inexpensive in construction and eicient in the type which embodies a plurality of vending 5 use. units or compartments (not shown). v

Another object of this invention is to provide The new coin chute device includes a pluan improved multiple or gang coin chute device rality or gang of coin chutes 12, it being underfor multiple compartment vending machines and stood that there is one coin chute 12 for each other coin operated machines. vending unit or compartment in the vending ma- 10 A further object of the present invention is to chine 11 with which the device is associated. 10 provide a multiple or gang coin chute device This number depends, of course, upon the size and which includes a plurality of coin chutes', one for type ofy vending machine, or other coin operated each vending unit or compartment in the vendmachine with which the device is to be associated. ing machine with which the device may be asso- These chutes 12 are formed between a plate 14 15 ciated; which is compact in size; and which' has and a plate 19 which form, respectively, the front 15 an operating mechanism associated with=the gang and rear walls of the chutes 12. of 'coin chutes in such a manner that certain The coin chutes 12 are arranged in fa row and parts of the operating mechanism are common to this row is divided into groupswhich are arfall the coin chutes so that space is conserved, the ranged on opposite sides of the vertical center necessity for a separate operating mechanism or midline 13 of the device. All of the chutes 20 for each chute is eliminated, the number of op- 12 converge at their lower ends toward a common erating parts needed in association with the apex or point as shown in Fig.v 1. This arrangegang coin chute device is reduced to a minimum, ment gives to the gang of chutes 12 a substan.-

, and the duplication of operating parts eliminated. tially fan-shaped or truncated V-shaped appear- An additional object of the invention is to proance (Fig. 1). I l 25 vide a multiple or gang coin chute device having Formed in the front wall of each coin chute 12 a plurality of coin chutes arranged in a row and is a coin-receiving aperture 15 and formed in in a substantially fan-shaped or truncated V- the outer side wall 33 of each chute 12 (Fig. v5) shaped formation, and converging attheir lower is a laterally extending slot or opening .1.6 (Fig.

ends toward a common apex so that the trans- 5). Associated with each slot 16 are the poles 30 verse or overall width across the lower end of 17 of a magnet 18; each of these magnets 18 the gang of chutes is considerably lessJthan the being attached by a bracket 20 to the rear wall overall distance across the top of the gang chutes. of the corresponding coin chute 12.

This accommodates the overall horizontal width Each of the coin chutes 12 is open at its lower 35 of the gang of chutes at their lower ends to ends to provide a discharge opening and extend- 35 the mouth of the coin distributor with which the ing horizontally below the open lower ends of the gang of chutes is associated and the horizontal gang or row of coin chutes 12 is a rotatable op-- width yof which is considerably less than that erating shaft 21 which has a handle 22 (Fig. 1) of the vending machine cabinet with which the arranged exteriorly of the vending machine 11y gang of chutes and the coin distributor are assofor manipulation by the operator or purchaser. 40

ciated. Formed in the operating shaft 21 at spaced inter- The drawing illustrates a preferred form of vals axially therealong and in communication the invention and therein: with the open lower ends or discharge openings Fig. v1 is a front elevational View of a preof the coin chutes 12 are coin-receiving pockets ferred form of the new gang coin chute device; 23, each of which is adapted to receive a coin 45 Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the same, 24 of a preselected diameter, thickness, and de' taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1; nomination.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view online 3-3 Extending parallel to the operating shaft 22 `in Fig. 1; and supported above the latter en the front wall Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional of the coin chute device is a supporting shaft or 50 view on line 4--4 in Fig. 3; and rod 25. Swingingly mounted on the shaft 25 at Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line spaced intervals axially therealong are stop mem- 5'-5 in Fig. 4. bers 26 each of which has a nose portion 2'7 that A preferred form of the invention is illustrated projects into the corresponding coin chute 12 in in the drawing, is therein generally indicated at the front wall of the chute (Figs. 3 and 4). 55'

Associated with each of the swingingstops 26 is a resilient coin guiding member 29 which is curved convexly on its outer side (Fig. 3) away from the front of the corresponding coin chute. Each of these coin guiding members 29 is swingingly mounted on the supporting shaft 25by means of a yoke which includes a pair of spacedarms 30.

Each of the swinging stops 26 is arranged between the arms of the corresponding yoke 30 and each swinging stop 26 is guided in" a. slot 31 4that is formed between a pair of ears or extensions 32 formed on the upper end of each of the coin guiding members 29 (Fig. 1).

Operation gavgement of the coin with the swinging stop member 26 slows up the speed of the coin and swings or pivots the stop member 27 (clockwise, Fig. 3) upon its supporting shaft 25, thus opening the lower end of the chute 12 and causing the coin therein to drop slowly down into the corresponding pocket 23 in the operating shaft 21. The operating shaft 21 may then be rotated (counterclockwise, Fig. 3) by manipulating the handle 22, to complete the vending operation. During this movement of the shaft 21 the coin 24 in its pocket 23 bears at its outer edge against the resilient coin guiding member 29, causing the latter topivot upon'the shaft 25 clockwise (Fig. 3) into the position of Fig. 3. This keeps the coin in its pocket 23 and prevents its discharge therefrom until the shaft 21 has completed half a revolution in making its operating or vending stroke (Fig. 3). During this operation-the pivotal movement of the coin guiding member 29 is limited by engagement of the ears 32 of the coin guiding member 29 with the front wall of the coin chute (Fig. 3).

However, if a magnetically attractable dise or substitute 34 for a coin of proper denomination is -inserted into one of the coin chutes 12, the same' drops down the chute, traveling along the inclined wall 33 thereof, until it comes opposite the corresponding slot 16 (Fig. 5) whereupon it is attracted by the' poles 17 of the adjacent magnet 18 and is withdrawn partially out of the chute 12 into the slot 16 where it is held by the' magnet, in the position of Fig. 5, until a coin of proper dcnomination is inserted into the coin chute 12.

When this occurs, the coin, traveling down the chute 12 along and bearing against the outside wall 33 thereof, abuts the magnetic disc 35 that is held by the poles 17 of the magnet 18 and pushes or ejects the magnetic disc 35 laterall'yout of the f coin chute 12 through'the corresponding slot 16 (to the left, Fig. In this manner magnetic discs or substitutes for the intended coins of proper denominations are prevented from entering the -'pockets 32 in the shaft 21 and hence are prevented from being discharged by movement of the shaft 21 into the coin receptacle arranged below the shaft 21 (not shown). In this-manner fraudulent operation of the vending machine by means of a magnetic disc is prevented.

It is to be noted (Fig. 4) that the plates 14 and 19 which form the front and rear walls, respectively, of the coin chutes 12 are so constructed that thecoin chutes 12 are angled rearwardly relative to the axis of the shaft 21 and relative to a plane passed vertically through the gang of chutes so that the slug ejecting slots 16 open at the rear side of the rear wall 19 of the gang chute device, as best shown in Fig. 4. This arrangement could be modified, however, by changing the angular position of the individual coin chutes 12 so that the slug ejecting slots 16 would open out-at the front side of the front wall14 of the gang chute device instead of at the rear side of the rear wall 19 as shown. This would merely necessitate a rearrangement and reversal of the parts and is considered a variant or modication that is within the scope of the present invention.

Itis to be noted (Fig. 1) that the horizontal or overall width of the gang chute device 10 at the bottom of the same is considerably less than the horizontal or overall width of the device across the top thereof by reason of the fan-shaped or truncated V-shaped arrangement of the chutes 12 and their convergence at their lower ends toward a common apex or point. This arrangement accommodates the device tothe mouth of the coin distributor (not shown) with which the coin chutes are associated and which is considerably narrower in its horizontal width than the top of the cabinet 11 and the overall width of the gang coin chute device l() at the top of the latter because of the fact that in vending machine cabinets space is at a premium in the cabinet at the point where the upper end or mouth of the coin distributor meets the lower end or bottom of the gang of coin chutes, whereas in the construction of vending machine cabinets ample space is usually found to accommodate the gang of coin chutes at the point where it has its greatest overall width, namely, at the top (Fig. 1)

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the claim as newA and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A coin chute device, comprising a gang of coin chutes Aarranged in a row and all converging toward a common point; each of said chutes having a front wall provided at its upper end with a. coin-receiving opening and having a discharge opening at its. lower end; each of said chutes having a side wall extending between its coin-receiving opening and its discharge opening that is inclined from the vertical so that a metal disc inserted through the coin-receiving opening of a chute will bear against the said side wall of the chute in traveling by gravity down the chute toward the discharge opening; each of said side walls having a laterally extending slot formed therein; and a magnet associated with each of said slots so as to withdraw thereinto from the corresponding -chute a magnetic subtokens or slugs from, the rear sides of said chutes.

2. A coin chute device, comprising a gang of.

gravity coin chutes divided into groups disposed on opposite sides or the vertical center or middle of the device; each of said chutes having a front wall provided with a coin-receiving aperture and all of said chutes being inclined from the vertical and converging at their lower ends toward a common point so that the overall width of said gang of chutes is less at' the lower ends of the chutes than it is at the top of the same;.each of said chutes having a side wall extending between its upper and lower ends provided with a laterally extending slot; and a magnet associated with each of said slots so as to withdraw thereinto and at least partially out of the corresponding chute a magnetic disc or substitute for the intended coin; each of said chutes being an gled rearwardly relative to Va plane passed vertically through said gang of chutes so that the said slots open at their outer ends upon, and discharge magnetic tokens or slugs from. the rear sides of said chutes.

WALTER A. TRATSCH. 

